More details, reaction after Giants give Pence $90 million over five years

Traded twice in the past three seasons, Hunter Pence has been looking for a clubhouse to permanently call home. He appears to have finally found it.

The Giants and their energetic right fielder agreed to a five-year, $90 million deal on Saturday morning. The new contract is not official until Pence passes a physical, but that’s a mere formality for a player who has started 169 straight games and played all but 16 innings this season.

“I can’t say a lot right now, but hopefully this thing is done,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “I couldn’t be happier. I could’t be happier for Hunter. I hope (our fans) would be as excited as we are. You can’t help but love Hunter Pence and the way he plays the game. It’s all about getting back on track. You need great players and he’s a great player.”

Pence is hitting .282 in his first full season with the Giants, with 26 homers, 94 RBIs and 22 stolen bases. The deal came down on the second day of Fan Appreciation Weekend at AT&T Park, and the players in the home clubhouse were just as thrilled as those filing into the seats.

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“That’s pretty cool if you like $90 million,” left-hander Madison Bumgarner quipped, smiling. “It’s pretty awesome. Everybody in here thought something crazy would have to happen to not bring him back. The guy plays every day and he’s one of the best outfielders in baseball. I hope he’s here the rest of his career.”
That was in doubt over the past couple of weeks as Pence and the Giants began negotiations. According to multiple league sources, Pence was seeking a deal that fell between the five-year, $85 million deal Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Andre Ethier received last year, and the seven-year, $126 million deal the Washington Nationals gave Jayson Werth in 2010.

The Giants preferred a four-year deal closer to $60 million, but the pace picked up as games were ticked off the calendar. After Friday night’s game, Pence and team president Larry Baer spoke in the clubhouse for about 15 minutes. Afterward, Pence said he thought the Giants were either really close to a deal or really far apart. As it turns out, they finally had one.

Pence is the rare player to sign an extension just before hitting free agency for the first time, but the contract represents a significant pay bump from his $13.8 million salary in 2013. It also represents security for a player who has grown to love San Francisco and rides a scooter to the ballpark.

“I know on my side, I love it here,” Pence said recently. “I love playing for Bochy. I love this city.”

Pence was unavailable for comment Saturday morning because he was taking a physical. The magnitude of the day didn’t seem to have changed his attitude at all; Even with $90 million still up in the air, Pence rode his scooter to the ballpark. He hugged several teammates as he walked through the clubhouse. When congratulated by a reporter, Pence said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about, but thank you.” He smiled and walked away, flashing a thumbs up as teammates continued to offer their congratulations.

“That’s a guy you know is always going to bring it,” right hander Matt Cain said as the deal was announced. “He’s an exciting player to have. Him being on the team is a huge, huge benefit for us. That’s a guy you want on your side.”

Center fielder Angel Pagan said he’s thrilled that the Giants have guaranteed that the two outfielders will be together for at least three more years, through the end of a four-year deal Pagan received last offseason.

“It’s awesome. He’s a very positive man,” Pagan said. “The game can be 20-0 in the ninth and he still thinks he can win. He injects that type of energy into the club and that’s a big key for us to be successful.

“The Giants take a lot of pride in winning and that’s what we’re here for. We’re here to win championships and be successful. It’s great to keep the team intact.”

Alex Pavlovic

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MadBum’s comment needs to be put on a bumper sticker. “That’s pretty cool if you like $90 million”

So happy this got done, this guy fits here and he makes other players better. If you don’t think this is good for Panda, to see this guy running around jacked off energy and able to go w/o injuries for long periods of time..this is huge. Panda already put up $$ to put his brother through culinary school and now be his Chef to keep him slim.

Timmy next, lets see if he wants to play and see how much he see’s himself rolling fatties in other cities not as Herb friendly

Were they playing coy when it was reported the Giants don’t like his swing nor his defense? Not many/any options for a big bat on the market. Hart says he’ll take a pay cut to stay in MIL. Morales is about it. Unless a team believes Nelson Cruz can be just as productive with PEDs. Or, unless a team buys in that Bryd can repeat his walk year stat line.

MLBSF

“The game can be
20-0 in the ninth and he still thinks he can win.

=======

Which was sadly the score many times this season i believe. Just a god-awful embarrassing season. Let’s hope we don’t have to go through this again for a long time. smh

channelclemente

I don’t know, but in the two film clips, his HRs were off a slider that was up, and a nasty backfoot slide . Off an N= 2, the dude has a bat and knows what it’s for. Nobody on the Giants seems to know how to hit a good breaking ball.

Matthew

Alex is on a Mike Benjamin-level streak of productivity.

FuriousAndRagingCarmot

He’s got power, that’s for sure. The LF walls at AT&T and AT&T South can’t hold him in. Coors Field could be quite a show.

ClutchUp

Phwew! No Drama regarding no-no’s or PG’s today. The ball will FLY OUT of Willie Mays Field today. 2 home runs for the Padres today and 2 home runs for the Giants today.

FuriousAndRagingCarmot

Draft Pick Watch

On 8/15, with 42 games remaining, we were holding the 7th pick position at the time and I wrote: Our record is 53-67 (.442) after today… If we tie any team(s) at 71 or 72 wins, we just *might* be pushed into the #10 or #11 spot. HOU and MIA will take the #1 & #2 spots, respectively. I don’t see any way around it. CHW will almost certainly take the #3 pick, maybe at 63-66 wins.

(We were at 52-67). We’ve gone 23-18 since then.

On 8/31 I projected us #11 at 73 wins and wrote this: Who knows about PHI? Depends what type of roster they play down the stretch. Do they appease fans a bit and play Utley, Rollins, Ruiz, Lee, and Hamels? Or just fold it up and pack it in. MIL has a lot of ‘good will’ they need to offer to their fans, IMO, whether it costs them a top-10 pick or not.

(We were at 60-74). We’ve gone 15-11 since then.

On 9/11, I projected the 14th pick with 74 wins and I wrote: We’re playing too ‘good’ now to expect us winning 5 games or fewer in our last 16. All along I’ve said 71 wins could get us in, and 73 wins would prolly not.

(We were at 66-80). We’ve gone 9-5 since then.

If we lose both games remaining to SD, we would finish with the 12th pick. Otherwise, we end up with the 13th pick instead. As I predicted 40 games ago and ever since then; 73 wins probably would not get us in; and it looks like it wouldn’t. 75-77 wins, we’re out. It’s been real.

ClutchUp

Please Don’t belittle Pagan’s statement that was meant to show Pence’s energy. Just go on shaking your head. The only time the score reached that proportion was the 19 runs scored by the Giants.

ClutchUp

It is the NEW WINDOW that Sabes spoke about …

ClutchUp

Tony Abreu makes the 2014 roster.

stickman

Just read that before logging back in on this new thread. Shocking. Has the ownership bunch really turned the corner? Have the Guggenheimers in LaLaLand shocked them outta their complacency with their free-spending ways? Guess we’ll find out, over the weeks.

Meanwhile, time to re-up Lincecum and Lopez, getting both the artiste and the shut-down loogie (except during a meaningless AB last night) back on board.

Abreu, batting third and hiking Belt up to the two-hole, would transform the Giants into a fearsome and formidably long lineup. It would be both younger and sporting far better chemistry than the one in Dogsville.

ClutchUp

Baseball IQ ….. ?

channelclemente

They did this same thing in 2011 to ‘reopen’ the window. imo, surprise at events is more a matter of our short memories as fans, than anything LA has done.

Well, if you start this lunacy early enough next season, we will win the WS

channelclemente

This blog needs an appendix.

DrLefty

I don’t care. I want them to finish third and end the season on a good note. And I’m really happy that, by winning 5 of 7 from the Dodgers in September, they won the season series 11-8 AND made sure the Dodgers would only finish with the third-best record among division winners.

MLBSF

OK my bad clutchup. It only seemed like it was 20-0 on most nights when we couldn’t score 2 lousy runs. smh

Bapah

Duck!!!

ClutchUp

NONE of this matters. Play the game on the diamond. That has some control(s). The rubber-necking of what would, might, may, could, would happen if A beat B but not by too much can’t be quantified.

It’s like the Pro Bowl where NFL players try to not get hurt but still play the game. Not.

I’ll introduce you to my Auntie Dale that used to be my Uncle Dale.

Bapah

And have to play the Cards

ClutchUp

Good knowledge and memory. Better than the day Brenly had at third base before redemption occurred.

ClutchUp

Flags are motionless … good day for hitters…

Bapah

And a descending colon. It already has an anu s.

ClutchUp

In fairness to OUR DUCK, that was a very awkward play …

ClutchUp

The Harmon and Sue Burns daughters both married now have some DEEP pockets. They are also very close to #25. Some day he will be free to wander around Willie Mays Field or down at Scottsdale imparting wisdom with younger hitters.

channelclemente

Now, my ribs hurt again. Thanks buddy.

DrLefty

Alex has ANOTHER new post. He must be feeling sad that he’s going to be spending less time with us.

channelclemente

He dare not think after first pitch.

ClutchUp

Polio just proposed to Runnnitttt in the stands.

Hopper15

Pence deserves to be paid more than Andre ” I can’t hit lefties” Ethier.

Matthew

Which reminds me of watching little teeny tiny Ken Rosenthal saying this morning that Choo is worth more money than Pence because of his weighted wTF , or maybe it was his WGAF, or fML

Matthew

The duck that could feed a village

Harold

Because we’re out of it, does that tater by Pence qualify as ‘meaningless’?

Long Time Giants Fan

I thought the daughters sold their Giants shares to Franklin Securities dudes. I thought they no longer had a stake in the team.

Giants recent victories over Dodgers forced the clinch of Dodgers having to start the playoffs on the road.

SurfCity

And on the road.

Just Wondering

Yes

mdubuque

RIGHT NOW Tim Lincecum is a better pitcher than Matt Cain.

JUST LOOK at Tim’s stats since June. That’s a good sample size.

E-B

good point.

and Cainer’s AAV is 25.5M.

stuff I’ve posted previously; reposting here:

FIP xFIP
Tim Lincecum 3.77, 3.56
Matt Cain 3.93, 3.88

also, Hank Schulman’s tweets from the 26th–(paraphrased) bullpen’s given up a staggering 68% of inherited runners for Timmy; league average is 28%. That’s just insane, moreover, will grossly affect his ERA. Also, 14 of 31(?) starts, 0 or 1 run scored for him.

walt kovacs

stat heads is the devil

DrLefty

It also forced them to celebrate in the Snakes’ pool–which pissed them off. Pun intended. The Dodgers look like jerks and the Snakes whiny. That’s a win-win in my book. Buahahahaha.